Izzo Declines Chance to Coach The Cavaliers

By JONATHAN ABRAMS

Published: June 16, 2010

Michigan State Coach Tom Izzo notified the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday that he would remain with the university, ending a weeklong flirtation with the organization and the possibility of pairing Izzo, one of the N.C.A.A.'s most successful coaches, with LeBron James.

Izzo spent the week visiting the Cavaliers' facility, and the uncertainty of not knowing if he would coach James was probably a factor in his decision.

''It's been an agonizing week as I tried to make a decision about a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,'' Izzo said in a statement. ''I apologize for the time the process has taken, but sometimes there are opportunities that come about that must be thoroughly examined.''

Izzo has directed Michigan State to six Final Fours and has been the source of past N.B.A. inquiries. He strongly considered the offer from the Cavaliers' majority owner Dan Gilbert, a Michigan State graduate, for the challenge of trying to break the trend of college coaches who struggled in the N.B.A.

Others said Izzo had grown weary of recruiting and dealing with Amateur Athletic Union circuits.

''Over the past week, Coach Izzo addressed a personal opportunity that he did not seek out,'' Michigan State Athletic Director Mark Hollis said in a statement. ''He owed it to himself to completely understand, evaluate, reflect and come to a conclusion that will be part of his life forever. And we owed it to him to allow this process to happen. Throughout the process, his heart was always at M.S.U.''

Only the Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Clippers still have coaching vacancies. Izzo did not leave the Cavaliers empty-handed. His statement also included a plea.

''Just as I decided to stay home, I hope a 6-8, 270-pound forward in Cleveland decides to stay home,'' Izzo said.